Theo Fox: Game 52: Hawks 2, Canes 5 A recap of the Blackhawks getting smoked by the Hurricanes and getting eliminated from playoff contention in the process.

Plus, a look at the IceHogs shootout win over the Griffins.

Mathematically eliminated with only 4 games left is far better than I expected.

Mathematically eliminated with only 4 games left is far better than I expected.
- mohel

This! After the first 4 games of the season we were thinking they would be eliminated by St Patrick’s Day.

Now we wait to see how the roster is reshaped. RFA’s, UFA’s, Euro Free Agents, trades, expansion draft, entry draft. Should be plenty to write about.

Now that the dream is over:

Lots of good individual play and progress this season, I guess:

AdB coming back nicely and moving into star and team-leadership roles.

Kubalik, Suter, Hagel, Suter, Kurashev, Hinestroza a surprise rebirth, Kampf played well in his role.

On the blue line, Boqvist showe some of why he was picked first round, Kalynuk came on strong, Mitchell, Beaudin.

Lankinen had enough good games and showed enough skills to say “maybe”.

But as a team, they couldnt put it together, especially the second half of the season. Coordination on the ice, cooperation, communication, support, covering and recovering….The team game was missing too many (most) nights.

Inexperience? Tough season, compressed schedule, lack of practice, too many new players without enough time playing together? I guess.

But Colliton et.al need to figure out how to get that fixed over the summer and next season.

Does leadership matter to the success of a team? 2 big leaders (Seabs and Toews) missing for the entire season may be part of the reason why this team has looked so inconsistent all season.
We all know Toews and Kane are different players and bring different skillsets to the rink, but I wonder how this season would have turned out if Kane was out the entire season.

Well Ladies and Gents,

Better than expected but not making the playoffs as expected. Having Tazer in the lineup would have meant we would have had a 35-50 point player, won some key faceoffs in important situations and have an all-around beast penalty killer as well as another good PP center. Hopefully he'll be back next season.

Not a great game last night, but I still like the way Kalynuk, Mitchell and Beaudin carry the puck. Kurashev has looked better since his benching and Vinnie and Hagel always give it everything they have. Maybe we'll add Reichel to the mix next year. Disappointing but there's something to look forward to next season.

At this point win-win. Close out with a bunch of wins, confidence going into next year. Lose the rest, chance LA or Calgary leap frogs us into a better a pick.

Bhawks should totally do a re-tool...Lets see what we can get for Keith and Kane....We thank both players but I think Cat will emerge as a new leader.

Bhawks should totally do a re-tool...Lets see what we can get for Keith and Kane....We thank both players but I think Cat will emerge as a new leader.
- shidler

Getting rid of Kane & Keith, by definition is not a re-tool. I also don't think they want to leave.

Getting rid of Kane & Keith, by definition is not a re-tool. I also don't think they want to leave.
- I Am The Breadman

Call me nostalgic but I hope Keith and Kane both retire as Hawks. Can't imagine seeing either or both in another team's uniform.

Call me nostalgic but I hope Keith and Kane both retire as Hawks. Can't imagine seeing either or both in another team's uniform.
- Popsghostly

Same, I wanted the core 4 to retire as hawks.

Same, I wanted the core 4 to retire as hawks.
- I Am The Breadman

Me too, but then Bolland left and ended that dream.

Same, I wanted the core 4 to retire as hawks.
- I Am The Breadman

Hey bread, why are you using past tense in this comment? Who left that killed this for you?

Mathematically eliminated with only 4 games left is far better than I expected.
- mohel

Agreed and at this point I hope they dont get another point....better draft position. Start Delia and Subban rest of the way.

As far as Keith goes...again....I would sit down with him JC and Bowman at locker clean out day, explain the process, the realistic time line internally they have to be competitive again, and see if Keith is on board. If he needs time to think on it, you give him a deadline a week or so before the draft so they can start to set parameters on what you ideally would want back vs what is realistic.

I am not advocating Keith, but I am also not advocating keeping him forever if he wants another chance at a cup while he can still be a mid pairing on a cup contender.

Outside of that.....same dead horse that has been beaten here since March.

Agreed and at this point I hope they dont get another point....better draft position. Start Delia and Subban rest of the way.

As far as Keith goes...again....I would sit down with him JC and Bowman at locker clean out day, explain the process, the realistic time line internally they have to be competitive again, and see if Keith is on board. If he needs time to think on it, you give him a deadline a week or so before the draft so they can start to set parameters on what you ideally would want back vs what is realistic.

I am not advocating Keith, but I am also not advocating keeping him forever if he wants another chance at a cup while he can still be a mid pairing on a cup contender.

Outside of that.....same dead horse that has been beaten here since March.
- SteveRain

I feel bad for that horse.

Kane battling with Aho most of the way down the ice to prevent the ENG and then just kind of giving up once Aho gained positioning on him.... Kind of sums up the Hawks season this year, I think.

Kane battling with Aho most of the way down the ice to prevent the ENG and then just kind of giving up once Aho gained positioning on him.... Kind of sums up the Hawks season this year, I think.
- BINGO!

Because they tried really hard, but could never catch up? I guess, although the Hawks were down two at the time, so Kane going berserk there didn't make a ton of sense.

The whole team played a pretty bad game.

Now that the dream is over:

Lots of good individual play and progress this season, I guess:

AdB coming back nicely and moving into star and team-leadership roles.

Kubalik, Suter, Hagel, Suter, Kurashev, Hinestroza a surprise rebirth, Kampf played well in his role.

On the blue line, Boqvist showe some of why he was picked first round, Kalynuk came on strong, Mitchell, Beaudin.

Lankinen had enough good games and showed enough skills to say “maybe”.

But as a team, they couldnt put it together, especially the second half of the season. Coordination on the ice, cooperation, communication, support, covering and recovering….The team game was missing too many (most) nights.

Inexperience? Tough season, compressed schedule, lack of practice, too many new players without enough time playing together? I guess.

But Colliton et.al need to figure out how to get that fixed over the summer and next season.
- StLBravesFan

Nothing better players can't fix.

Kane battling with Aho most of the way down the ice to prevent the ENG and then just kind of giving up once Aho gained positioning on him.... Kind of sums up the Hawks season this year, I think.
- BINGO!

Kind of sums up Kane's season, too - he seems frustrated a lot, leading to disinterested play often. He's being heavily covered on the ice, and playing with inexperienced line mates (and many of them, given Colliton's constant line-switching). Lots of assists - that's good - but 4 goals in about 30 games - not good, not for one of the main goal scorers on a team without many others.

What are the team / media / fan base thoughts on a deep playoff run for the 'Canes? I'm impressed.

Nothing better players can't fix.
- rpeters01

Yeah, well, Colliton has not proven much in his basically two plus seasons here.

I'm disappointed that the team is not playing better hockey at the end of the season than they did at the beginning. Lots of external reasons why, perhaps, but still (as I like to say)....

My comments about good individual play, but an inadequate team game remain.

Me too, but then Bolland left and ended that dream.
- Ogilthorpe2

Bolland, Krueger, Roszival and Frolik.

Yeah, well, Colliton has not proven much in his basically two plus seasons here.

I'm disappointed that the team is not playing better hockey at the end of the season than they did at the beginning. Lots of external reasons why, perhaps, but still (as I like to say)....

My comments about good individual play, but an inadequate team game remain.
- StLBravesFan

You don't know how they've been coached the defense is a house fire on the ice simply trying to get it out. That's all I believe they're capable of right now.

Kind of sums up Kane's season, too - he seems frustrated a lot, leading to disinterested play often. He's being heavily covered on the ice, and playing with inexperienced line mates (and many of them, given Colliton's constant line-switching). Lots of assists - that's good - but 4 goals in about 30 games - not good, not for one of the main goal scorers on a team without many others.

What are the team / media / fan base thoughts on a deep playoff run for the 'Canes? I'm impressed.
- StLBravesFan

Yeah, I am not going to bash Kane.....at all.

Over a point a game and playing in a helter skelter lineup. HE met my expectations and the lack of proven scoring depth allows teams to fixate on him knowing if they shut him down 5 v 5 Hawks likely aren't scoring....which we saw all year long. Not sure how many assists he's had on ADB goals but I would guess a lot.

Kane is the least of the hawks problems............

I sure hope Bovquist doesn't regress as much after his wrist injury than Dach has. He was brutal last night. Not saying he won't develop into a top 6 player (hopefully soon), but an honest assessment of his play after he came back this season is definitely disappointing.

I sure wouldn't count on him being more than a third line forward at the start of next season.

Hey bread, why are you using past tense in this comment? Who left that killed this for you?
- powerenforcer

I didn't mean it as can no longer happen. More like if anyone could retire as hawks, I always/only wanted those 4 together. I haven't been alive enough to see something (that I'll assume is rare) as players retire with the team that drafted them, let alone 4.

You don't know how they've been coached the defense is a house fire on the ice simply trying to get it out. That's all I believe they're capable of right now.
- rpeters01

Young D.....
Younger D man who is a turd: Zadorov
Older D men on their last leg forced to play above their current skill set: Keith/DeHaan

Really leaves Murphy who had his good moments/bad moments...still a little too inconsistent for me to deem an untouchable.

Not hard to see why they have major issues....that's before you get to a bunch of younger forwards and centers who can't get the puck out up high on the wall or cover a guy in the slot.....

Biggest thing to watch is WHAT young player(s) are still making the same mistakes next year....then, IMO, it's fair to start looking at JC and said players.


Hawks really need to adjust to forechecks.....lots of these better teams owned them 5 v 5 and pinned them in their zone when you began to wonder when/not if the puck was going in....Tampa, Florida, Carolina, Dallas, and Nashville.